West Nova News

The Department of Justice has provided $14.3 million in grants to fight drug abuse and addiction in the Eastern District of Virginia.

Northeastern Virginia has long been known as a hotspot for substance abuse, particularly opiates. Opioids, specifically narcotic painkillers, heroin and fentanyl, result in more unnatural deaths in Virginia than any other cause. 

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, said in a statement that his office has been and continues to be aggressive in the investigation and prosecution of drug traffickers, adding that the funds are needed for preventative efforts.

Fentanyl is an extremely dangerous opiate.

“We have invested valuable resources in prevention efforts through community outreach, increasing education and raising awareness of the dangers of addiction through our Silent No More program,” Terwilliger said in a press release. “While I am proud of this work and our accomplishments, I recognize that we must remain vigilant in our efforts to combat this crisis. With this commitment, I am confident that the work we do will account for the number of lives saved in the coming months and years.”

Terwillinger recently was involved in the successful prosecution of a homegrown organized crime network in North Carolina. In that case, six defendants received sentences ranging from 120 months to 22 years in prison. 

In all, $341 million in funds for efforts focused on ending the substance abuse crisis were awarded by the Department of Justice to communities nationwide. The funds were made available by a Public Health Emergency declaration by President Donald Trump three years ago. 

“The addiction crisis has taken an enormous toll on America’s families and communities, eroding public health, threatening public safety and claiming tens of thousands of lives year after year,” U.S. Attorney General William P. Barr said in a statement. “Through comprehensive measures taken by this administration, we have been able to curtail the opioid epidemic, but new and powerful drugs are presenting exceptional challenges that we must be prepared to meet. The Justice Department’s substantial investments in enforcement, response and treatment will help us overcome these challenges and work toward freeing Americans from abuse and addiction.”